


midsummer night's ice cream

by jeolmeoniji



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Bad Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Sweet, bad puns as ice cream flavor names, customer!jaemin, employee!mark, gg song references, ice cream parlor, summer job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:02:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26444605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeolmeoniji/pseuds/jeolmeoniji
Summary: The first time Mark meets Jaemin, Jaemin's hair color is the same as theirYou're berry sweetice cream, and Mark's cheeks are almost as red as theCherry Potterflavor.
Relationships: Mark Lee/Na Jaemin
Comments: 24
Kudos: 84





	midsummer night's ice cream

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by the fact that mark wanted to own an ice cream shop when he was younger :3

The first time Mark meets Jaemin, Jaemin's hair color is the same as their _You're berry sweet_ ice cream flavor.

A deep yet vibrant blue, that almost turns out slightly purple depending on how the ice cream parlor lights hit it. (In Mark's opinion, Jaemin's blue hair looks the prettiest with the natural light of the summer sun streaming through the bay window of the shop. The fact is that Mark is _always_ in the shop, so he can't appreciate Jaemin's hair in the real outside world.)

The summer rolled out at Mark's feet like a lazy wave on the beach; and for Mark, summer break meant summer job, so he's swallowed down the sweet image of afternoons spent at the sea and instead has applied for a job at _Midsummer night's ice cream_. If you wonder if the parlor's name is the only reason why Mark chose it over any other shop hiring for the summer, you're right: Mark is an English literature major and he can get very emotional over Shakespeare, sometimes.

So this summer, Mark can't look at the deep blue of the sea, but he can look at Jaemin instead.

Not that he stares a lot, mind you. Though, Ten – Mark's manager – would beg to differ, and _loudly_ at that.

“Mark! Would you look at that, your favourite customer is here!”

And Mark looks up so quickly that he almost gets a whiplash, and as Ten said, Jaemin can be seen at the entrance, opening the glass door and making the old-fashioned bell ring to announce his arrival. Mark's cheeks are almost as red as their _Cherry Potter_ flavor, but the constant air conditioner blasting through the shop helps a bit to refresh him.

Since the beginning of summer break, there's not a day Jaemin hasn't come to the parlor to order an ice cream. Mark finds it quite impressive – isn't he bored of always coming here? – but it's good for business, and Ten assures them that Jaemin's handsome features and advertisement-worthy smile when he licks a plastic spoon between his lips increase the number of customers they get.

Dejun isn't really convinced, but also, Dejun is a uni friend of Jaemin and he's seen him in other scenarios outside of the ice cream parlor. He probably knows Jaemin in his bad moments, too, like how he looks when he spent a week cramming for final exams with eight shots of espresso his only fuel. (Mark is convinced Jaemin can't look bad though.)

“And it's my favourite employee,” Jaemin says back with a teasing smile once he's in front of the cashier. Mark flushes harder and internally curses Ten for being so loud and embarrassing him. Ten seems pleased of what he's caused, and then sneaks back into the kitchen.

But Mark only clears his throat and grabs the ice cream scoop.

“What would you like today?”

Jaemin never takes the same flavor twice, except if he really likes it. He likes to experiment with every choice he has, and Mark has understood it quite quickly once Jaemin decided that the ice cream parlor was his go-to shop for the summer. It's true that the ice creams are good, and that his friend Dejun works here, and that Jaemin likes to tease Mark because he's easy to fluster, but Mark still thinks that it's a bit weird that Jaemin comes everyday, even when Dejun is not here – like today, for example.

Jaemin smiles and lets his eyes wander on the containers of homemade ice creams, reading the little labels of the meticulously researched flavor names.

“I think I'll try _You're my chewing gum_ ice cream today, in a cup. ”

“Coming right up!”

Mark takes a colorful cup with the name of the parlor printed on it, and prepares two scoops of _You're my chewing gum_ flavor. Once it's done, he turns around and without Jaemin asking for anything, he adds whipped cream on top. He goes back to the register with a smile, putting down in between Jaemin and him the cup of pink ice cream that looks pretty with the contrast of how white the whipped cream is.

“Here you go, Jaemin,” and Mark enters the total on the cash register.

“I didn't ask for extra whipped cream though.”

Mark knows it is five hundred wons more, but he just shrugs at Jaemin.

“It's on the house. You come here so often, you deserve a special treatment, right?”

Jaemin's already bright smile becomes _brighter_ – wow, thanks Mark and his deep and diverse vocabulary. Jaemin's teeth are pretty, a perfect row of milky white. It makes Mark want to smile as big as Jaemin.

“A special treatment, hm?” Jaemin repeats, and Mark has no idea what he means by that, but he just nods.

That makes Jaemin chuckle while he takes out a few bills from his wallet.

“Thank you, Mark, that was really kind of you,” Jaemin says when Mark puts the money away.

Jaemin picks up his cup and takes a spoonful right away. Mark waits for him to give his judgement, imagining the flavor of the ice cream melting on his tongue and mixing with the light whipped cream. (And then he straightens up because why the fuck would he imagine that?)

“This one's really good!” Jaemin exclaims. “I was intrigued if that would be too sugary as the flavor is chewing gum, but it's perfect! And it goes well with the cream you added.”

Mark smiles and is as excited as Jaemin; he always likes to see their clients being delighted by the sweet dessert they decide to indulge in.

“I'm glad to hear it.”

Jaemin winks – Mark blinks back like he's been frozen – and Jaemin says:

“I'll go now, bye Mark!”

When Jaemin exits the parlor, a group of friends that were pondering if they should go inside the shop finally seem to take their decision – Jaemin must have made a thrilled face while eating his ice cream – and new clients push the door for Mark to take their order.

Behind him, Ten comes back from the kitchen, and hums what he recognizes is the song that inspired the name of the ice cream Jaemin has chosen for the day. It sticks in Mark's head for the rest of the day, just like a chewing gum under the sole of his shoe, but it feels less annoying somehow.

Contrary to popular belief – a.k.a, Ten's belief – Mark isn't so oblivious. He just takes time to absorb all the information around him, to dissect every little detail, scrutinize any possible mood, simmer every feeling. Maybe it comes from the habits he's developed in his major: to analyze and overanalyze pieces of literature, to inspect the words and sentences and plots and subtexts and what not.

It takes time and brain power, he's silent through the process, and it's just Mark's personality. So what if he's a little slow? What if he doesn't want to rush, what if sometimes he is a bit scared to dip his toes in the unknown water?

Jaemin's presence through all his shifts, a few minutes every day, sometimes an hour when Jaemin decides to hog a table, becomes familiar and welcomed, becomes something Mark is really happy to relish in. It's something simple, and maybe he tells himself that it's okay if it's simple and that he sees himself enjoying it more and more. Maybe he begins to tell himself that he has the right to want more, too. To make this feeling of contentment and quiet happiness rush through him for longer, if he can be in the presence of Jaemin longer.

It's something lazy but strong like a summer wave on the beach, slightly startling because of the temperature difference, that keeps Mark awake and smiling. He can't go to the beach but Jaemin is as pretty as the ocean.

Mark is just shy to want more, to act on it with bolder moves than tiny steps that he can make look like professional kindness.

Today, Mark waits for Jaemin like every shift he has. He's actually wondering if he shouldn't give extra for Jaemin's order today too. He's offered whipped cream, and last time he's added a little rainbow flag that Ten has ordered in bulk for pride month, a decoration on top of the ice cream scoops. Jaemin had smiled a lot at that one. There was also the time Mark added whipped cream _and_ multicolored flakes on top.

Maybe Mark should sprinkle little pink sugar hearts today. To like. Make it more obvious that he likes Jaemin and that he doesn't mind if he flirts more or is more straightforward. Mark feels like a bird trying to charm someone with sparkling and colorful things.

Mark is lucky it's Dejun's day off today, or else he would make fun of him with that idea, and Ten is too occupied making new batches of ice cream to tease him. Ten finds Mark's behaviour so amusing that he doesn't even take off Mark's paycheck what he gives for free to Jaemin.

It's the middle of the afternoon when Jaemin enters the parlor. However, he's not alone: a guy with dusty pink hair is by his side. He's slightly smaller and thinner – and Jaemin is already thin to begin with – and seems really invested in the conversation he has going on with Jaemin. To the point Jaemin's eyes aren't on Mark's figure behind the counter first thing when they enter.

Oh, it's slightly unsettling.

However, Mark still greets them with his usual smile he reserves for Jaemin.

“Welcome to _Midsummer night's ice cream_!”

“Hey Mark!”

“Hi Jaemin. What are you gonna order today?”

By his side, his friend (?) eyes the ice cream tubs and names with curiosity.

“I don't know yet, I'll let Renjun choose first I guess.”

Renjun – apparently that's his name – scoffs, “it's my first time here and I should be the first to order? I am getting a bit overwhelmed by everything I see.”

“Don't worry Injunnie, to be honest everything is delicious, so you can't make a wrong choice.”

Jaemin wriggles his fingers against Renjun's ribcage, and Renjun tries to escape with a whine.

Mark looks at them, still and with the ice cream scoop in his hand, assessing the situation. He's a bit, _ah_ , confused by Jaemin's behaviour with Renjun. They seem really close.

Mark tries to reason himself – his best friend Donghyuck tends to tease him the same way Jaemin does with Renjun, and he is _not_ dating Donghyuck. So why would Jaemin be dating Renjun, hm?

While he awkwardly shifts his weight from a foot to another, Jaemin and Renjun are conversing with a slightly lower voice, looking at all the flavors. It's normal, but Mark can't help but feel a bit out of their bubbles. It should be normal, he's only a worker here, but it's weird to have a blatant view on a part of Jaemin's life he knows nothing about, something – or rather _someone_ – from outside the interactions they have in the little world that is the ice cream parlor.

“I think I'll take two scoops of _Mint dynasty_ , on a cone, please,” Renjun tells him in hindsight.

“Coming right up.”

“The name is fitting,” Jaemin jokes around. Mark must look a bit confused, because Jaemin adds, “Renjun is chinese.”

“Oh, I see,” Mark smiles politely and scoops the ice cream.

“Renjun is like, bilingual, his korean is good, right?”

“I only said like, two sentences, Jaemin,” Renjun rolls his eyes, “please stop.”

Renjun seems annoyed yet a bit proud of himself; Jaemin continues to tease him, to be glued to him, and Mark just focuses on his work to prepare Renjun's mint ice cream.

Mark is bilingual too, he pouts internally. He's fluent in korean _and_ english. Does Jaemin know he's spent most of his childhood in Canada? Would Jaemin be as impressed and proud-looking if he knew that fact about Mark?

When he hands Renjun his ice cream, he thanks him, and then Mark turns toward Jaemin.

“What about you?”

Jaemin seems to hesitate, and then he points at the peanut butter flavor container.

“I'll have the _Netflix & Chilled_, please!”

He says that a bit too cheerfully, a bit too cheekily; Mark becomes crimson and he internally curses Ten for choosing this ice cream name out of anything he could have invented. Usually he doesn't care, but when these words come out of Jaemin's mouth, it feels different.

By Jaemin's side, Renjun isn't in a better state as him, and he repeatedly smacks his arm.

“Hey, it's only an ice cream name! Don't be so shy Injunnie, as if it isn't tonight's plan–”

He's cut off by Renjun's hand on his mouth. The pink of his hair matches with surprising accuracy the pink of his cheeks.

“Jaemin, _shut – up_.”

The smile that Mark has is now only a façade, and his inside crumbles. He stops staring at Jaemin and only focuses on his task, ice cream scoop in hand.

He feels like a forgotten ice cream in the sun, dwindled, sticky, disgusting and only good to be thrown away.

When Jaemin's ice cream is ready, he hands it to him without adding any extra. Jaemin's smile is as bright as it usually is, but Mark notices a question in his eyes before he adverts his stare and focuses instead on ringing the total of their purchase.

Mark doesn't even really want to ask if Jaemin likes the new flavor he's trying, or if Renjun thinks their ice creams are as good as Jaemin has probably told him.

The both of them pay separately, and Mark tells them thank you and goodbye even if Jaemin looks a bit unsettled that Mark stops their daily interaction there. To be honest, Mark doesn't want to talk to him more if he's in the middle of a date with his boyfriend. He feels ashamed and sad, and the sooner he's alone in the shop, the better.

When they are finally outside and that he can be alone with his sadness, Mark doesn't hesitate long and he serves himself a desperate scoop of _Panic! In the choco_.

Dejun is bouncing on his heels following the rhythm of Red Velvet's _Ice cream cake_ that is playing through the shop speakers when Mark enters for his shift the next day. Dejun waves at him without a word, too occupied by the music that he's lip syncing to, and Mark waves back before putting his stuff in the staff room and putting on his apron.

“Hey Dejun, how was your day off?” Mark asks when he slides beside his colleague and checks the containers of ice cream in front of them. They are almost out of _Red flavor_ , and he makes a mental note to later take out a new batch that Ten must have prepared.

“It was nice, I was out with some friends that I haven't seen since the beginning of summer. Seriously, they get significant others and suddenly they are too busy to hang out with me,” he huffs, pouting just for the show, but then he smiles, “I am happy for them though.”

Mark freezes, and not because he's eaten ice cream too quickly that it makes his brain hurt. There's something pulling at his heart, a weird ache that slows him down, that takes his usual good mood in their hands and rolls it into a ball like a wrinkled and useless purchase receipt. _Ice cream cake_ is still loud and lively in the parlor, and _Red flavor_ still almost empty it becomes upsetting, and Mark thinks he should go at the back now to get the refill.

“Hey, what's wrong, Mark?” Dejun's voice breaks through his brain.

Mark tries to reassuringly smile, but it must look really painful and awkward, more like a wince than anything, because Dejun gives him a deadpanned look, unimpressed. Waiting for Mark to talk and explain what is obviously weighing him down. There's no one in the shop, so he actually can do that.

Mark isn't sure if he wants to open up about what has happened the day before; Dejun is still Jaemin's friend, while Mark is only his colleague. But at the same time, there's this special link between Dejun and him, co-workers for a summer break, this unspoken and weird easiness to talk about their everyday life and dreams and deeper thoughts. Mark hasn't known Dejun for a long time, but he actually puts a lot of trust in him.

He's a bit embarrassed that he's getting sad over something like this, but Dejun – as well as Ten – have seen him and Jaemin interact since the beginning of his part time job, have joked around and called out on Jaemin's flirty behaviour. Jaemin is flirty but Jaemin is also kind and smiley and would he really play with Mark like Mark feels he's been played?

After all, nothing was ever past the teasing stage, the fun encounters, the little flutters of his own heart. It's always been about eating some ice cream, something pleasant but that is not supposed to last long; once you finish your ice cream cone, you move onto something else.

Mark is an employee and Jaemin is a customer, and when Jaemin leaves the shop he has a life of his own where apparently he's with Renjun.

“Did Jaemin not come to the shop yesterday, for you to be so down?” Dejun asks, tilting his head, trying to read Mark's thoughts when he doesn't open his mouth.

“Why do you think it's about Jaemin?” Mark stresses, a bit more harshly than intended.

“So I'm right, it's about him.”

“For your interest, he came to the shop yesterday,” Mark grumbles.

“I would have been really surprised if he had not. It's been his mission since we're on break to come everyday.”

Mark doesn't know how to explain what has happened. It hasn't been anything. Just Jaemin and a pretty boy that he teased and beamed at, on a date, right in front of Mark's salad – of Mark's ice creams.

Mark is a bit mad at Jaemin, but he's mostly sad.

“You could have told me Jaemin has a boyfriend, though. I mean, not that it's any of my business,” Mark adds. _Yeah, it's not because you finally accept the fact that Jaemin has been flirting with you so much and that everyone joked about the situation as if it could actually become something more only to find out Jaemin's only been friendly to you and he's actually with someone else, that you have any right to be upset._

Dejun's eyes widen, and it's like Mark has said something extremely ridiculous.

“Jaemin? Boyfriend? What are you talking about?”

It's like he wants to add something, but he stops at the last second. See, that's something that makes Mark more upset than he wants to admit. It's like he's the only one with not all the clues, and everyone else stares at him trying to go right on his path when there's obvious things he should know but no one cares to tell him. Like seeing him falling like a fool for Jaemin's smile and addiction to ice cream while he clearly has someone else.

“Jaemin came yesterday with his boyfriend. Renjun, I think? Didn't you know they were together?”

“Renj– oh my god,” Dejun exclaims. “Renjun isn't Jaemin's boyfriend!”

Mark is puzzled.

“Oh, maybe it's recent then, you didn't see them yesterday, they were–”

“Renjun is my friend Yukhei' boyfriend!” Dejun quickly adds, not listening to Mark's rambles. “You know I told you I was yesterday with my friends I haven't seen a lot lately? I was mostly talking about Yukhei. He's been with Renjun since a few months and I had to literally plot something with Hendery so he would leave his boyfriend's side for a day to be with us. He's so in love, it's disgusting yet cute. I guess Jaemin took the opportunity to meet with Renjun while Yukhei was with me. Jaemin and Renjun know each other since high school and they are really close, but there's nothing else between them!”

Mark stays still for a few seconds, processing what Dejun has told him in almost a panicked voice.

“Oh,” he says.

Oh. So Jaemin is pretty much boyfriend-less, and Mark went through all this emotional distress for a simple misunderstanding.

He kinda wants to hide in the freezer room to only be discovered again in a few thousand years.

“Jaemin is a freaking idiot,” Dejun mutters, and Mark doesn't know if he was supposed to hear that.

While Mark is still dealing with the implications of Dejun's clarifications, Dejun takes his phone out and types almost furiously on it while walking to the break room.

In the deserted shop, Mark's eyes go from the almost empty tub of _Red flavor_ to the _This is nuts_ container right next to it.

As Mark's shift has begun late for the day, he is on closing duty that night. Dejun has left him at the end of his own shift, around two hours after Mark has come to the shop, but before he left he told him that he has _taken care of the idiot, don't worry too much Mark_. Mark thinks that the idiot refers to Jaemin. However, he doesn't know what _taken care of_ meant for Dejun.

He's waited his whole shift for a glimpse of his deep blue hair, but Jaemin has not showed up at all, something that has never happened before. Mark is puzzled about everything that has taken place in the last twenty four hours, and he's not sure he appreciates the rollercoaster of feelings he's been through. Everything is still a bit unclear, but he tries to reassure himself with what Dejun has been adamant to clarify: that Renjun is dating Yukhei, and that Jaemin isn't anyone's boyfriend.

Mark doesn't even know what he would tell Jaemin when he sees him again. Should he finally be straightforward?

Ten has left earlier, and Mark is really the last one to close the shop. After he's cleaned the tables, put the chairs on them, and sweeped the floor, he's about to lock the entrance and leave by the back door when in the late evening, he sees Jaemin's figure walking toward the shop.

Mark has half the thought of ignoring him, until their eyes meet and Jaemin arbors a really sheepish, sorry and sweet smile, almost begging.

Mark knows he likes Jaemin a lot, and that he could actually not escape his feelings at all.

“A little bit late to get ice cream, don't you think,” Mark says, clearing his voice.

“Any possibility to indulge a regular customer's craving?” Jaemin replies, albeit unsure.

And honestly, who is Mark to say no? Jaemin gets ice cream everyday, and today he should too, right?

“You're lucky I was only about to close up.”

He gestures at Jaemin to follow him inside the shop. The main room isn't illuminated, as Mark has only kept the lights on above the counter. The containers of ice creams glow in the late evening. He goes behind them, grabs the usual scoop, and looks at Jaemin.

“What flavor do you wanna try, today?”

Jaemin eyes the labels meticulously, and Mark stays patient, like always.

“This time... _Let's date_ , please.”

Mark's heart skips a beat, but it's only the ice cream flavor. Like every flavor the shop proposes, it is a wordplay. Mark gulps, but nods and goes to work.

“Mark.”

Mark raises his head and meets Jaemin's eyes.

“I really mean it too, you know. Let's... let's date? I really like you.”

Jaemin flushes and is a little bit shy, and right there and now Mark melts like an ice cream, surprise and joy filling his inside. He doesn't reply right away, and Jaemin continues:

“I didn't realize I was a bit out of it yesterday, and that it has hurt you. I wanted to apologize for how careless I was. Renjun is just my good friend and I was teasing him about his evening with Yukhei that he's told me about. I mean, I come here everyday to see you and spend so much money on ice creams, it's for a reason, and that reason is that I have a crush on you and I apparently can only talk through flirting and it doesn't look that serious. Dejun has told me to come clean several times but I was too cowardly to do it, and I didn't want him either to tell you what I really think of you because I wanted to be the one to do that.”

He stops and exhales.

“I ramble a lot when I am stressed, sorry.”

Mark chuckles and he feels like he's blushing. He finishes a scoop of _Let's date_ , and right after that he goes to another ice cream tub and adds it to Jaemin's order. When he hands the cup to Jaemin, he accepts it carefully.

“Mark, you haven't replied to me, hm, asking you out?” Jaemin asks in a tiny voice after a soft _thank you_.

“I think I did, though. Did you check the other flavor's name I gave you?”

Jaemin looks at the labels and only takes a few seconds to spot it.

“ _Yes orange yes_?” he squeaks.

Mark laughs and says:

“I would really like to date you, too, Jaemin. So, it's a yes for me, obviously.”

(The shop's name really fits perfectly, Mark realizes later on when he's sitting next to Jaemin and they share the cup of _Let's date_ and _Yes orange yes_ ice creams.

Midsummer night's ice cream.

In the middle of the summer, while it is dark outside, Mark and Jaemin exchange their first kiss, and their lips taste like sugar, summer and sunny fruits.)

**Author's Note:**

> lots of love for our august babies <33 this was supposed to be written last month but,,, haha
> 
> also little game: how many ice cream flavors/bad pun names is there in this ff lol
> 
> i hope you liked it, comments and kudos are loved :D
> 
> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/_renjunbaobei) \+ [cc](https://curiouscat.me/jeolmeoniji)


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